Oxford Tops Guardian University Guide 2027 as Cambridge Climbs to Second

The Guardian University Guide 2027 has been published, ranking UK universities based on factors that matter most to students.

The guide is designed to assess aspects of university performance that are particularly relevant to the student experience. Its overall ranking draws on eight measures, including teaching and assessment satisfaction, student-to-staff ratios, spending per student, continuation rates, entry standards, value added and graduate career prospects.

Oxford Retains No. 1 Position

The University of Oxford has retained the No. 1 position in the 2027 ranking, maintaining the top spot it held in 2026.

The University of Cambridge climbed from third to second, while the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) moved up from fourth to third.

The University of St Andrews, which ranked second in 2026, fell to fourth place, while Imperial College London rose from sixth to fifth.

These five universities make up the top five of the Guardian University Guide 2027.

The remaining institutions in the top 10 are Durham University, the University of Warwick, the University of Bath, Loughborough University and the University of the Arts London.

Oxford Leads 11 Subject Rankings

The Guardian University Guide 2027 also ranks universities across individual subject areas.

Among the five universities in the overall top five, Oxford recorded the strongest performance at subject level, ranking No. 1 in 11 subjects:

• Anthropology and archaeology
• Mathematics
• Languages and linguistics
• Philosophy
• Chemistry
• Physics
• Earth and marine sciences
• Economics
• Geography
• Business and management
• English

Cambridge ranked first in 10 subjects:

• Chemical engineering
• Classics and ancient history
• Education
• General engineering
• Sociology and social policy
• Politics
• Construction, surveying and planning
• Music
• Biology
• Psychology

LSE ranked first in two subjects: International relations and Law.

St Andrews topped four subjects: History, History of art, Theology and religious studies, and Media and film studies.

Imperial College London ranked first in four subjects: Medicine, Computer science and information systems, Mechanical engineering, and Aerospace engineering.

Overall, the 2027 rankings highlight both the continued strength of the UK's leading universities and their differing areas of subject-level strength.